Measuring instrument



' Dec. 1, 1942.

o. A. OSTBERG I MEASURING INSTRUME Filed Dec. -4, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 l I I manna nnnnn X5 if o. A. bsTBE G MEASURING INSTRUMENT Filed Dec. 4, 1941 s Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 1, 1942..

Patented Dec. 1, 1942 i 1 UNITED s'rA'res rear OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in measuring instruments and more particularly to improvements in micrometer type measuring instruments such as micrometer calipers, inside micrometers and depth gauges.

More particularly, it is the aim of the'invention to provide adjustment means for instruments of the above described character to compensate for wear on the faces of the parts thereof which engage the elements to be measured, and also to compensate for tension on said parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the operator can quickly and accurately adjust the instrument for securing a measurement.

A further object of the invention is to provide locking means for holding the parts in adjusted positions to enable measurements to be retained after the instrument has been removed from the element measured, said locking means being releasable to permit the instrument to be automatically returned to a retracted position.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments thereof, and where in:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing the invention embodied in a micrometer caliper,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal substantially central sectional view of a portion of the micrometer caliper and on an enlarged scale,

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged cross-sectional views taken substantially along the planes of the lines 33 and 4-4, respectively, of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the micrometer caliper, taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3,

Figure 5A is a transverse sectional view through a portion of the sleeve of the micrometer caliper and taken substantially along the plane of the line 5 ---5 of Figure 2,

Figure 5B is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line E -5 of Figure 1,

Figure 6 is a side elevational view, partly in section, showing the invention embodied in an inside micrometer,

Figure '7 is a cross-sectional view of the same taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line 1-1 of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a view in side elevation showing a plurality of extension rods for use with the inside micrometer,

Figure 9 is a side elevational view showing the invention embodied in a depth gauge,

Figure 10 is a longitudinal substantially central vertical sectional view of the same,

Figure 11 is a detailed sectional view of a portion of the inside micrometer taken substantially along a plane indicated by the line ll-ll of Figure 6, and

Figures 12, 13 and 14 are side elevational views showing extension rods of different lengths which are adapted to be substituted for the extension rods shown in position in the depth gauge in Figure 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like'reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the difierent views, and referring particularly to Figures 1 to 5B, l5 designates generally a micrometer caliper constructed in accordance with the invention'and including a frame It, a sleeve l1 and a thimble I8. As seen in Figure 2, the sleeve I1 is provided with a longitudinally extending bore |9 which extends from end to end thereof and which is provided with an enlarged counterbored upper A stem 2| extends through and is slidably disposed in the bore l9. Stem 2| is provided with a recess 22 which opens outwardly of the upper end thereof and which is provided with a left hand thread. The thimble 18 has an open end which slidably engages the upper end of the sleeve I1 and a closed upper end 23 which is disposed beyond the upper end of the sleeve l'l. Theend 23 is provided with an opening 24 which is-provided with a right hand thread. A screw 25 is provided witha lower, left hand threaded end 26 which engages the thread of the recess 22 and an upper right hand threaded end 21 which engages the opening 24. It will be readily obvious that the screw 25 can be turned in one direction for moving the stem 2| toward the end 23 or in the opposite direction for moving said parts away from one another. A nut 28 threadedly engages the screw 25 and is adapted to bear against the upper end of stem 2|. A nut 29 threadedly engages the upper end of the bolt 25 and bears against the outer side of the end 23. Nuts 28 and 29 retain the bolt or screw 25 in adjusted positions, to hold the thimble I8 in various adjusted positions relatively to the stem 2|. An expansion coil spring so is mounted on the stem 2| and is disposed in the counterbored portion 20, with one end of the spring engaging against the inner end of the portion 20 and the opposite end of the spring bearing against the nut 28 for urging the stem 2| and thimble I8 upwardly relatively to the sleeve |'|.v

The caliper frame It, at one end thereof, is formed integral with the lower end of the sleeve H and depends therefrom. The lower, outer end 3| of the stem 2| projects from the lower end of the sleeve ll and into the opening of the frame Hi. The opposite, free end of the frame J6 carries a removable anvil 32 which is disposed in opposed relationship to the stem end 3|.

As seen in Figure 2, sleeve 1 has an elongated slot 33 which extends from adjacent its lower end through the upper end thereof and which opens laterally outwardly of sleeve I? from near the lower end to the upper end thereof. A rack bar 34 is mounted in and extends substantially the length of slot 33 and is provided near its ends with longitudinally extending slots 35. The upper slot 35 engages a stud 36 which extends into said slot from the back side of bar 34 and which is loosely disposed therein. A set screw 31, as best seen in Figure 5B, engages a threaded opening 38 in the lower end of sleeve H and has a restricted shank 39 which extends into the lower slot 35. By loosening said screw 31 rack bar 34 can be slid longitudinally of slot 33 after which screw 37 is again tightened so that its inner end will bear against bar 34 for securing the bar in adjusted position.

A wheel housing 43 composed of sections 4| and 42 is mounted on the outer side of the thimble I8. Section 4| is preferably formed integral with thimble l8 and section 42 is detachably fastened to section'4l by fastenings 43. Thimble l8 and housing 43 are provided with aligned openings 44 and the housing 43 on its outer side has an opening 45 which also aligns with openings 44. A wheel 53 is loosely disposed in the housing 43 and is provided on opposite sides thereof with trunnions 46 and 41 which are journaled in openings 44 and 45, respectively. Trunnion 46 terminates in a pinion 48 which is disposed in slot 33 and which meshes with the teeth of rack bar 34. As best seen in Figure 5, the opening 44 of housing 43 has portions formed in both sections 4| and-42. Portion of opening 44, which is formed in section 42 is enlarged to accommodate a leaf spring 43, a portion of which bears against trunnion 46 to urge it in a direction for retaining pinion 48 in mesh with rack 34.

The rim or periphery of wheel 53 is provided with two corresponding calibrated portions 5| each of which extends one-half way around the wheel and each of which includes a plurality of scale markings 52 certain of which are designated by numerals 10, 20, etc. to 100. The housing section 42 is provided with a window or opening 53 in the outer portion thereof through which a portion of the calibrations 5| are visible. Section 42 is provided with a pointer 54 which extends into one end of window 53 and which is adapted to align with the scale markings 52, as best seen in Figure 1.

The intermediate portion of sleeve I1 is provided with a longitudinally disposed calibrated portion 55 including scale markings 56 alternate ones of which are numbered 1, 2, 9, from the lower toward the upper end of sleeve IT. The open end of thimble I8 is provided with a double portion forming an edge 51 which is disposed over the scale markings 56.

Stem 2| is provided with a longitudinally extending groove 58 which terminates short of the ends thereof. As seen in Figure 4 the lower end of sleeve I! is recessed at 53 to receive a stop member 63 which is pivotally mounted intermediate of its ends on the stem portion 6| of a screw 62 which extendsupwardly into the lower end of sleeve l1 and which engages a threaded opening therein, not shown. The pivotally mounted stop 63 is provided with a lug 63 near one endthereof which engages in groove 58. Frame l3 has a threadedopening 64 extending therethrough for adjustably receiving a threaded abutment member 65. One end of an expansion coil spring 66 extends into one end of the opening 64 and bears against an end of abutment 65. The inner side of the opposite end of stop 63 is provided with a recess 61 to receive the opposite end of spring 66. As seen in Figure 4, spring 66 urges stop 63 in a direction to move lug 63 inwardly of groove 58.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that an element, not shown, can be positioned in the opening of frame |6 between the parts 3| and 32 and can be measured by pressing downwardly on thimble l3. For this purpose housing 43 is provided with an extension forming a handle 68. The downward movement of thimble 8 will move the stem 2| downwardly until the element is engaged between the parts 3| and 32. As thimble l8 moves downwardly the edge 51 moves over the scale marking 56 and the wheel 53 is revolved by the pinion 48 moving relatively to rack 34. The teeth on the rack and pinion are sized so that wheel 53 will make one revolution while the thimble I3 is moving the distance between two adjacent, numbered scale markings 56. Assuming that the length of the calibrated portion 55 is one inch, the numbered scale markings 56 will indicate tenths of inches. If, when the element to be measured is engaged between parts 3| and 32, the edge 51, for example, is between the scale markings designated by the numeral '7 and the one thereabove the element will measure slightly more than seven-tenths of an inch. The operator would then take the reading on the wheel 53 and assuming that it is"-ten as in Figure 1, the exact measurement will be .710 of an inch. Had the edge 51 been on the other side of the scale marking indicated by numeral 7 the reading taken from th wheel 53 would have been taken from the other calibrated portion 5| thereof. It will thus be readily apparent that readings to thousandths of an inch can be quickly and easily made with the micrometer caliper l5.

In order that the stem and thimble can be moved relatively to the sleeve, the last mentioned end of the stop 63 is pressed inwardly to move the outer end of lug 63 out of frictional engagement with the bed of groove 58. When the reading has been taken, stop 63 can be released and spring 66 will hold lug 63 in sufliciently tight engagement withthe bed of the groove 58 to hold the instrument I5 in its adjusted position after the element, measured, has 'beenremoved therefrom so that the reading can be retained as long as required. Thus, stop 63 also functions as a locking member. When the stop is released spring 33 will move the thimbl and stem upwardly until the lower end of groove'53 engages lug 63 at which time edge 51 will be over the scale marking 56 indicated by 0 as in Figure 1. The instrument |5 will then be again ready for use for taking another measurement.

In Figures 6, 7, 8 and 11 a slightly modified form of the invention is shown embodied in an inside micrometer, designated generally 39. The inside micrometer 69 includes a sleeve 13 having a bore 'H which extends longitudinally therethrough. A stem 12 is slidably mounted in the bore H and extends beyond the ends thereof. A thimble I 8 is slidably mounted on the upper end of the sleeve 73 and said thimble corresponds to the thimble of the inside micrometer I 5 and includes the housing 48 and the parts mounted therein .and'associated therewith. The sleeve 13 is'provided with a'slot 33 containing a rack bar 34, which is mounted in the same manner and which performs the same function as the rack bar 34 of the caliper I5.

Stem I2 is provided with an upper threaded end I3 which engages the threaded opening 24 of the closed end 23 of thimble I8 and which is adjustable relatively thereto for adjustably positioning thimble I8 relatively to sleeve I8 and stem 12. An expansion coil spring 38 is mounted on the upper portion of stem I2 and has one end bearing against the upper end of sleeve 18 and its opposite end bearing against end 23 for urging thimble I8 upwardly and outwardly of sleeve ID. A look nut 29 engages'the threaded portion I3 and bears against the outer side of end 23 for holding the thimble I8 and stem I2 in adjusted position.

The stop 68 of the caliper I is replaced by a stop 14 including a pin 15 which slidably engages a lateral bore IS in the lower portion of sleeve 18 and which opens into bore II. A leaf spring I7 is attached at one end thereof to sleeve 18 by a fastening 18 and has a bifurcated free end I9 which engages a pin I5 between a collar 88 and a knob 8| thereof. As best seen in Figure 7 pin I5 is provided with an arcuately shaped inner end 82 which bears against stem 12 and a lug 83 which projects therefrom into a groove 84 in stem 12 which corresponds to groove 58. Pin I5 and spring TI combine to form lock and stop means I4 for the same purpose as the stop 68.

The lower end of bore II is counterbored and internally threaded as seen at 84 to receive the threaded end 85 of a recessed member 86 which is provided with an opposite, outer end 8? which is solid, hardened and lapped. The lower end of stem I2 slidably engages in the recessed member 88. An elongated rod or tube 88 is provided with an internally threaded socket end 89 which detachably engages the exposed end 'I'3. The opposite end 98 of the member 88 is likewise hardened and lapped.

Sleeve I8 is provided with a calibrated portion 55' corresponding to the calibrated portion 55 except that the scale markings 56' thereof are numbered in the opposite direction, as seen in Figure 6. The relationship between the calibrated portion 55' and the calibrated portions 5| of the wheel 58 is the same as in the caliber I5.

For securing an inside measurement such as l and members 86 and 88 are attached to the ends of the micrometer 69 so that the overall length thereof will be slightly less than the diameter of the bore to be measured. By then allowing the thimble I8 to move toward an extended position ends 81 and 98 will be moved into engagement with the parts to be measured and when in engagement therewith the measurement is obtained by adding the overall length of the micrometer 69 to the fractional inch measurement obtained from the calibrated portions 55' and 5|, as heretofore described in detail.

As seen in Figures 8 and 11, extension rods 88 having socket ends 89' and hardened ends 98 may be used in lieu of the members 88.

In Figures 9, 10, 12, 13 and 14, another modified embodiment of the invention is shown in conjunction with a depth gauge 9| and which includes a sleeve 92 having an enlarged base '93 at the lower end thereof. Sleeve 92 has a bore extending longitudinally therethrough and which includes an" intermediate portion 94 a restricted portion 95; in the'base 93, and anenlarged' upper portion 98. Sleeve 92 is provided with a slot 33 and .rack bar 34 which ismounted in the same manner as the rack bar as the sleeve IT. A thimble I8 slidably engages the upper end of sleeve 92 and has a housing 48 and parts associated therewith which function in the same manner as in the previously described micrometers. A stem9'I slidably engages bore 94 and extends upwardly through bore portion 96 and has a threaded upper end I3 which is connected to end 23 of thimble I8 by threaded opening 24 therein and a lock nut 29 in the same manner and for the same purpose as in the inside micrometer.

Stem 91 has a longitudinal bore 98 which extends longitudinally therethrough and which is provided with an enlarged upper end 99. Bore 98 is adapted to removably receive rods I88 which extend therethrough and through the bore portion 95. Rods I88 are provided with heads ml which seek in the bore portion 99 and which are releasably held in place therein by means of a cap I82 which engages the threaded end I3. gauge 9|, as seen in Figure 9, is provided with a lock and stop 68, corresponding to the stop 68 of a caliper l5, and which is mounted in the base 93. The rods I88 are provided with grooves I83 for the same purpose as the groove 58. Grooves I 83 are all spaced the same distance from the headed ends I 8| of the rods I08 which rods are of different lengths. Sleeve 92 is provided with a calibrated portion 55 the scale markings 56* of which are numbered from top to bottom.

' Assuming that the depth of a hole to be measured, a rod I88 is mounted in the gauge 9I which is of a length so that it will extend almost to the bottom of the hole when the lower edge of the thimble I8 is on the upper 0 marking. By pushing down on handle 68 thimble I8 and rod I88 will be moved downwardly until the lower end of the rod engages the bottom of the hole. The measurement can then be obtained by combining the fractional inch measurement secured from the calibrated portions 55 and'5I with the known length of the exposed end of therod I88. The lock "and stop 88 function in conjunction with the groove I83 in the same manner that groove 58 cooperates with stop 88 of the micrometer caliper 85.

Various modifications and changes in the embodiments of the invention as disclosed are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, provided they fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as'my invention:

1. A measuring instrument comprising a sleeve, 9. thimble slidably mounted thereon, an elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale,

over which an end of the thimble ismovable,

said sleeve being provided with a rack, a housingmounted on the thimble, a shaft journaled in: the housing and having a pinion on one end. thereof in mesh with said rack, a wheel disposed. in said housing, the rim of said wheel being cali-- brated and the calibrations thereof forming divi-- sions of the calibrated portion of the sleeve, said: housing having an opening through which the calibrations on the wheel are visible, 2. caliperframe having one end thereof attached to one end of the sleeve, said elongated member having an: end extending into the frame opening and an.

The

anvil mounted on the opposite end of the frame and in opposed relationship to said end of the elongated member.

2. A measuring instrument comprising a sleeve, a thimble slidably mounted thereon, an elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale, over which an end of the thimble is movable, said sleeve being provided with a rack, a housing mounted on the thimble, a shaft journaled in the housing and having a pinion on one end thereof in mesh with said rack, a wheel disposed in said housing, the rim of said wheel being calibrated and the calibrations thereof forming divisions of the calibrated portion of the sleeve, said housing having an opening through which the calibrations on the wheel are visible, and spring means for urging the thimble to an extended position relatively to the sleeve.

3. A measuring instrument comprising a sleeve, a thimble slidably mounted thereon, an. elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to' the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale, over which an end of the thimble is movable, said sleeve being provided with a rack, a housing mounted on the thimble, a shaft journaled in the housing and having a pinion on one end thereof in mesh with said rack, a wheel disposed in said housing, the rim of said wheel being calibrated and the calibrations 1 thereof forming divisions of the calibrated portion of the sleeve, said housing having an opening through which the calibrations on the wheel are visible, and means for adjustably positioning the elongated member relatively to the thimble and sleeve.

4. A measuring instrument comprising-a sleeve, a thimble slidably mounted thereon, an elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale, over which an end of the thimble is movable, said sleeve being providedwith a rack, a housing mounted on the thimble, ashaft journaled in the housing and having a pinion on one end thereof in mesh with said rack, a wheel disposed in said housing, the rim of said wheel being calibrated and the calibrations thereof forming divisions of the calibrated portion of the sleeve, said housing having an opening through which the calibrations on the wheel are visible, said sleeve having an enlarged base at one end thereof, and said elongated member having an end extending outwardly through the base and slidably disposed relatively thereto, said elongated member including a stem connected to the thimble and slidably disposed in the sleeve, a rod extending longitudinally through and removably mounted in the stem, saidrod having an end projecting from the stemand forming said aforementioned end of the elongated member.

5. A measuring instrument comprising a sleeve, a thimble slidably mounted thereon, an elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale, over which an. end of the thimble is movable, said sleeve being provided with a rack, a housing mounted on the thimble, a shaft journaled in. the housing andhaving a pinion onone end thereof in mesh with'said rack, a wheel disposed in said housing, the rim of said wheel being cali-- brated and the calibrations thereof, forming divisions of the, calibrated portion of .the sleeve, said housing having an opening through which the calibrations on the wheel are visible, an extension detachably connected to the outer end of the sleeve and projecting therefrom, and an extension detachably connected to the outer end of the thimble and projecting outwardly therefrom.

6. A measuring instrument comprising a sleeve, a thimble slidably mounted thereon, an elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale, over which an end of the thimble is movable, said sleeve being provided with a rack, a housing mounted on the thimble, a shaft journaled in the housing and having a pinion on one end hereof in mesh with said rack, a wheel disposed in said housing, the rim of said wheel being calibrated and the calibrations thereof forming divisions of the calibrated portion of the sleeve, said housing having an opening through which the calibrations on the wheel are visible, an extension detachably connected to the outer end of the sleeve and projecting therefrom, and an extension detachably connected to the outer end of the thimble and projecting outwardly therefrom, said last mentioned extension forming a part of the elongated member.

'7. A measuring instrument comprising a sleeve, a thimble slidably mounted thereon, an elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale, over which an end of the thimble is movable, said sleeve being provided with a rack, a housing mounted on the thimble, a shaft journaled in the housing and having a pinion on one end thereof in mesh with said rack, a wheel disposed in said housing, the rim of said wheel being calibrated and the calibrations thereof forming divisions of the calibrated portion of the sleeve, said housing having an opening through which th calibration on the wheel are .visible, means for locking the thimble and elongated member in various positions relatively to the sleeve, said locking means being releasable to permit the thimble to be returned to an extended position relatively to the sleeve, and the locking means, when released, forming a stop for limiting the movement of the thimble toward an extended position.

8. A measuring instrument comprising a sleeve, a thimble slidably mounted thereon, an elongated member connected to the thimble and movably disposed relatively to the sleeve, said sleeve having a calibrated portion, forming a linear scale, over which an end of the thimble is movable, said sleeve being provided with a rack, a housing mounted on the thimble, a shaft journaled in the housing and having a pinion on one end thereof in mesh with said rack, a wheel disposed in said housing, the rim of said wheel being calibrated and the calibrations thereof forming divisions of the calibrated portion of the sleeve, said housing having an opening through which the calibrations on the wheel are visible, and means for adjusting the rack for adjusting the calibrations of the wheel relatively to the calibrated portion of the sleeve.

OLOF A. OSTBERG. 

